In the wake of a New Year and our personal resolutions, we sometimes forget about what's best for the others around us. In the case of parents in the United States, their kids should be a top priority. Sadly, however, fitness isn't a common priority passed down to today's youth, and that does not bode well for the future generations.

According to the 2012 National Youth Fitness Survey, 3 out of 4 kids aged 12-15 in the US DO NOT get the daily recommended hour of 'moderate to vigorous activity every day.' And per the CDC, 'the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled in young kids and tripled in adolescents over the past three decades.' Adults today are so worried about getting themselves to lose weight, eat healthier and lead more active lives, and yet they're forgetting about what should be most important in their lives: their children. If we want the next generation to live longer, healthier lives, then fitness has to become a staple in all American youth.

There's plenty of evidence out there that you may already know correlating increased physical activity to benefits to youth and adolescents: improved cognitive function both in the classroom and outside of it, better attitude and decision-making, and obviously, better physical health. But recent studies have also shown that being fit in childhood and adolescence can improve your child's longevity later on in their lives. According to Peter Nordstrom, MD, PhD of Umea University in Sweden, and colleagues, "high aerobic fitness in late adolescence may reduce the risk of Myocardial Infraction (MI) later in life, although high cardiovascular fitness appears not to fully compensate for overweight or obesity with respect to this risk."

In essence, in addition to yourselves, keep your children fit and healthy, and you'll both be more likely to live longer and happier lives.

Comments

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